NBD Warmoth build complete !

[topcat2069]

I picked her up yesterday (Nov. 5th)
My Luthier started with one coat of Dark Walnut stain and the put on 6 coats of true oil. He put the whole thing together after he routed the bridge pickup cavity.
Total charge, route, finish, assembly and setup just under $200.00 !
The total cost, parts and labor….. just under $800.00 !

I took the Bass to band rehearsal (about 4 blocks from the shop) at just after noon. I tried her out through my Acoustic B20 practice amp and after some adjustments of my own (pickup height and string height) I got her sounding like I wanted.
Rehearsal started at 6:00 and I had played her off and on up until then.

She fit right into the band mix without getting lost and kept the low end of the band strong with true pitch recognition.

The neck plays like butter and the tone is just what I was looking for, the Bill Lawrence P-46 sounds just like a P pickup but with a little something more (clarity and punch ?) and the Bill Lawrence designed bridge pickup makes my right hand technique present and clear (I play from a whisper to a scream with my 1st, 2nd and ring fingers, bridge to neck heal.)
The Bass is 1.5 to 2 lbs lighter than my G&L or Lakland, about 7.75lbs…… a joy to play.
I can't wait to play a gig so I can run her through my GK 1001RB II and both 1X15 NEOs.

Body: Warmoth Deluxe 5 P, standard P route (with added bridge pickup route) 4 lbs

Neck: Warmoth Deluxe 5 4+1, 1-3/4" nut, maple with pau ferro fingerboard with no dots, side dots are there though. Graphite rods, Hipshot ultralites. (Thank You mwolff)

Pickups: Bill Lawrence P-46 and a Bridge pickup from a Fender Am. Dlx P 5

prewired harness from Best Bass Gear:
- 1 Audio Taper 250K Pot (Noble)
- 1 250K Blend Pot (Noble)
- 1 Audio Taper 250K Pot (Noble) w/Capacitor (Sprague Orange Drop .047)
- 1 Standard Stero Jack (Switchcraft)

Bridge: The Takeuchi T5 5-string bridge is machined from solid brass. The string pitch is 17.5mm (.688"). Each individual saddle rides in machined tracks to eliminate any side to side movement. This is the perfect bridge to use with the Deluxe 5-string basses. Stringing is easy through the notches on top of the bridge, or for better sonic coupling, the strings can go through the body.

I used Gold Speed Knobs, gold football jack plate and a Gold neck plate.... I left the tuners as is because I don't have the scratch to "go with the gold" at the moment.








better pictures to come (after I figure out how to work this damn camera)

[mfbolton]

Looks nice. Congrats!

[topcat2069]

Thank You

[Matt R.]

Congrats. Just finished a Warmoth build myself.

[pasta4lnch]

Nice! Passive? Does the bucker in the bridge ease the usual p/j issues . . . noise, volume dip?

[topcat2069]

Originally Posted by pasta4lnch

Nice! Passive? Does the bucker in the bridge ease the usual p/j issues . . . noise, volume dip?

Yeah, passive, I get a very nice blend between the two pickups
All the Low growl of the P-46 mixed in with a very nice (but a little fatter w/ no buzz) Jazz.... I'll record something soon... I just want to wait for the strings to lose that "just out of the package zing" because there are a lot of harmonics (which is nice) but I want to lose the odd # harmonics.... that takes playing and a little time.

I had already bought the pickup set out of a Fender Am. Dlx. P 5 and the bridge pickup was designed by Bill Lawrence so I used that pickup.... but I had my eye on the NYC-5 Passive Phase II NYC Soapbar for the bridge http://www.bestbassgear.com/basslines-pickups-nyc-5.htm (which, I believe, would look more ...um.... balanced as far as the scale of the two pickups using a regular P-Bass size pickup) I'll bet that the Nordy P-5 pickup with a DC in the EMG 40 size would be a nice look......

But I may build another Bass with a set of the SDs or Nordy DCs EMG 40s with series/parallel switches for each pickup and have a poor man's Roscoe Beck....... another passive

[georgiagoodie]

Nice. My Warmoth build is almost done. 'Will post when I get it!

[pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by topcat2069

Yeah, passive, I get a very nice blend between the two pickups
All the Low growl of the P-46 mixed in with a very nice (but a little fatter w/ no buzz) Jazz.... I'll record something soon... I just want to wait for the strings to lose that "just out of the package zing" because there are a lot of harmonics (which is nice) but I want to lose the odd # harmonics.... that takes playing and a little time.

I had already bought the set out of a Fender Am. Dlx. P 5 and the bridge pickup was designed by Bill Lawrence so I used that pickup.... but I had my eye on the NYC-5 Passive Phase II NYC Soapbar for the bridge http://www.bestbassgear.com/basslines-pickups-nyc-5.htm

But I may build another Bass with a set of the SDs with series/parallel switches for each pickup and have a poor man's Roscoe Beck.......

Nice...if I ever need another five I'm building a warmoth pj. Been thinking about it for a while. Natural w a status neck. Seeing the bucker in the bridge has me thinking...I love my Fender pj but hate the buzz and volume dip. Also not a fan of active electronics.

Anyway, cool bass. Lots of luck!!

[Smallmouth_Bass]

That looks really nice. I think we need to see more pictures of it!

[topcat2069]

I'm trying to take better ones, but I'm a camera spaz (no offense meant) I'm hoping it's me and not the camera

This one is a little better

The decal is one I had made, it says Hayden (my last name) in a Fender-like font... on the "ball end" of the headstock it says "Custom Bass 001"

I had the Luthier sign the back of the headstock......

[Roadkill]

That's a beauty for sure . I have a similar build shipped to me last Wednesday that seems to be lost in transit . In mine I used the Bill Lawrence blade style pickups - an EB-60PB "P" style and an EB-50PB humbucker in the bridge position.

[topcat2069]

Originally Posted by Roadkill

That's a beauty for sure . I have a similar build shipped to me last Wednesday that seems to be lost in transit . In mine I used the Bill Lawrence blade style pickups - an EB-60PB "P" style and an EB-50PB humbucker in the bridge position.

I gotta know what you think of the sound !

[Roadkill]

Originally Posted by topcat2069

I gotta know what you think of the sound !

If I ever receive it I'll let you know. I had an EB-50P in my 70's Guild B-301 and liked it a lot but that was 30 years ago. BTW I went with a top-slot-load bridge bolted through the body.

[wilfred]

Nice!!!!

[topcat2069]

a close up of the decals ..(this was a different neck but the decals are the same...)

[Roadkill]

Originally Posted by topcat2069

a close up of the decals ..(this was a different neck but the decals are the same...)

Ha ha, that'll keep the "gear sniffers" guessin' .

[topcat2069]

Originally Posted by Roadkill

Ha ha, that'll keep the "gear sniffers" guessin' .

Until they find out my last name it sure does

[topcat2069]

Originally Posted by pasta4lnch

Nice...if I ever need another five I'm building a warmoth pj. Been thinking about it for a while. Natural w a status neck. Seeing the bucker in the bridge has me thinking...I love my Fender pj but hate the buzz and volume dip. Also not a fan of active electronics.

Anyway, cool bass. Lots of luck!!

check out this thread:

Warmoth 5-string

it's an old thread but scroll down and check out the Valenti builds... now imagine a Nordy DC at the bridge


I'm going the passive route after playing a Yammy BB425 and a Schector Diamond P-5 custom, both passive.... the Schector had ceramic mags in the pickups and sounded REAL strong!

So I thought I'd try passive in this build... and I'm glad I did......

Yammy & Schector

[topcat2069]

I must just be old and shaky, "can't seem to get a clear shot there Luke"

I put the block "decals" on this morning

[topcat2069]

This was the 4 string inspiration Fender Am. Dlx. P Bass 1997 This one got sold to a guy in Russia

I just loved the sound and I've been wanting a 5 string version for years but just couldn't come up with the dough when I'd see one on line.....